Melissa Etheridge's Ex-GFI Can't Live on $23,000 a Month!

4/9/2012 2:23 PM PDT

Melissa Etheridge's Ex-GF -- I Can't Live on $23,000 a Month!

EXCLUSIVE

Melissa Etheridge's ex-GF Tammy Lynn Michaels claims she's barely scraping by on the $23,000 a month Melissa currently pays her in partner and child support -- and now, she wants a massive raise ... this according to new court docs obtained by TMZ.

Tammy just filed the papers in the couple's infamously bitter separation claiming Melissa makes roughly $177,882.00 PER MONTH ... and got Tammy accustomed to an extravagant lifestyle while they were together ... so the $23k is incredibly unfair.

Tammy -- a former actress -- also claims she has "virtually no savings" and would need "extensive retraining" if she were to rejoin the workforce.

Tammy claims Melissa is also brainwashing the kids -- training them to be emotionally distant and rude to Tammy ... and now they won't even give her a hug.

Tammy also accuses Melissa of cursing around the children -- including one instance ... when she told Tammy to "get the f**k off my back" in front of the kids. According to Tammy, Melissa also refuses to let the kids get vaccinated.

As for the reason behind the mudslinging -- Tammy and Melissa are headed into a settlement conference in May to determine support and custody issues ... so it's important for Tammy to demonstrate she's the better mom.

On top of increased support, Tammy also wants Melissa to pay her $120,000 legal bill. Calls to Melissa were not returned.